Mechanical stoker.



Patnted' Nov., ll, I902. 0. 3. ALLEN.

MECHANICAL STD'KER.

(Application filed July 30, 1901 (No ModeL) 2-Sheajts8heet I.

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M M QM W W 'B/VMS No. 7I3,I9I. Patented Nov 'II, I902. C. R. ALLEN.

MECHANICAL STOKER.

(Applicatioh filed July so, 1901.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC CHARLES R. ALLEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

MECHANICAL STOKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,191, dated November11, 1902.

Application filed July 30, 1901. Serial No. 70,290. (No model.)

To all whon't it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMechanical Stokers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in mechanical stokers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical stokersimple in construction and positive in action so arranged that the fuelmay be accurately controlled not alone as to its distribution in thefurnace, but also as to its amount and also in relation and proportionto the varying requirements of the steam production. In this class ofdevices, owing to the varying condi tions of operation, great difficultyhas heretofore been experienced in providing a mechanical stokerpossessing the necessary flexibility and responsiveness to therapidly-varying conditions of steam generation and use.-

Thus a practically efficient mechanical stoker must not alone be capableof throwing fuel into the furnace and distributing it evenly therein,but it must also perform these functions unfailingly and in a whollyreliable manner during long periods of time. Not only must theseconditions be met, but also the further condition that the device mustrespond in the amount of fuel fed to the rapidly-varying need for steamand the necessity of maintaining an even pressure in the boilernotwithstanding the changing demands. These conditions arepeculiarlydifficult of obtainment Where but one boiler is employed. Tomeet these requirements is the object of the present invention.

I attain the stated objects by means of the devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is an elevation,-portions beingin section to more clearly illustrate it. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thefuel-throwing device. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 is a rotating fuel-throwingdevice consisting of a series of vanes or wings attached to the uppersurface of a plate or disk forming the fiy-wheel of an engine to bedescribed later. The plate or disk is secured upon a shaft 2, disposedin a vertical position and journaled in a suitable bearing in a frame 3,which forms the base and attaching device for a shell or casing 4.,surrounding and inclosing the runner 1. This frame or baseplate isprovided with a suitable flange or bracket 5, whereby itis attached tothe front of the boiler or furnace 6. The casing at is provided Withalateral tangential dischargeopening 7, through which the fuel thrown bythe runners is cast into the furnace. This opening 7 is controlled by apivotally-movable deflecting-plate 8, hinged to the casing, as shown at9. The casing 4 is also provided with a suitable feed-opening 10 on itsupper side and a small receiving-hopper 11, extending upwardly from theopening 10, the hopper being preferably supplied with a controlling-gate12, hinged therein. The gate 12 is supplied with a suitable settingdevice, shown in the present instance as an exterior lever-arm 13,attached to the hinged rod of the gate and provided at its other endwith a threaded link 14, having a set-nut 15, arranged to engage with astop 16.

To the opposite end of the shaft 2 is secured a crank or disk 17,provided with a crank-pin 18,.engaging with a piston-rod 19 of asuitable oscillating engine 20, arranged to receive its supply of steamthrough a suitablepipe 21, provided with a controllingvalve 22 from theboiler, which the stoker is feeding with fuel.

Extending upwardly from the hopper 11 is a chute 23, which is connectedat its upper end with a belt elevator 24, traveling within an open-toptrough 25. At the point of connection of the spout or chute 23 with theelevator-trough 25 is a hinged gate 26, adapted by its oscillation toopen and close an opening 27 in the floor of the elevator-trough. An arm28 is attached to the hinged rod of the gate 26, which in turn isconnected to the piston-rod 29 of a pressure-cylinder 30. The piston rod29 is provided with a suitable pressure counterbalance 31, shown in thedrawings as a slidable weight 31 upon an extension of the lever 28.Connected to the lever 28 is also a link 32, attached to the handle ofvalve 22 of the steam-pipe 21.

The buckets of the elevator are somewhat peculiar in form, being hingedto their carrying-belt, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to be thrown into areverse position, if desirable, as shown at 33 in Fig. 1. The elevatorand trough extend downward into a suitable supply-bin or fuel-reservoir3t.

To the hinged rod of the deflecting-plate 8 is a lever 35, provided witha connecting-rod 36, attached to a crank secured upon a shaft 37,journaled in the frame 3. Upon the shaft 37 is secured a worm-gear 38,which meshes with a worm 39, formed upon the periphery of the crank-diskof the oscillating engine. Upon the shaft 37 is also provided a chainsprocket-wheel 40, connected by a chain 41 with a sprocket-wheel 42 uponthe elevator driving-shaft 43.

In operation and assuming that some steam has been raised byhand-stoking the oscillating engine of the stoker will start into motionfor the reason that the weight 31 will more than overcome the pressureof the steam in cylinder 30, and consequently keep the valve 22 open.This condition of affairs continues, the elevator carrying up anddropping the fuel into chute 23,the rotating throwing device carrying itinto the furnace and the oscillating plate distributing it over thesurface of the furnace till the steamgraduallyrisesuptothedesiredpressure. Thenthe piston in cylinder 30 willmove, overcoming the weight 31, closing the gate 26, and diminishing orshutting off entirely the supply of steam to the oscillating engine.Thereafter any fuel which may be carried up by the buckets Will simplybe dumped on the gate 26; but instead of passing down into chute 23 itwill simply slide down the open-top trough of the elevator back into thebin 34. Should it be found that these fluctuations of feed occur toofrequently or that the supply of fuel carried up by the elevator isgreater than the requirements, one or more of the elevator-buckets isreversed, thereby throwing the bucket or buckets out of operation, thenumber of buckets so thrown out of operation being increased till thenormal average amount of fuel is exactly provided, when the device willcontinue to work indefinitely and with great precision, requiringpractically no care other than the occasional filling of the supply-bin34, which may also be mechanically provided for.

It is obvious that many modifications in the device herein describedwill readily suggest themselves to mechanics to adapt it to particularcircumstances or conditions of operation without departing from theessential character of the invention. I therefore do not desire toconfine myself to the particular form or proportion of parts hereindescribed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Amechanical stoker, attached to the f urnace of a steam-boiler,comprising a motorengine having a disk or fly-wheel, suitably connectedto said boiler whereby it is driven bythe pressu re ofthe steam thereinand means effected by variation of pressure in the boiler whereby thespeed of the engine is controlled, wings or vanes on said fly-wheeladapted to throw fuel into the furnace and means adapted to supply fuelto said vanes or wings.

2. A mechanical stoker, attached to the furnace of a steam-boiler,comprising a motorengine having a disk or fly-wheel, suitably connectedto said boiler whereby it is driven by the pressure of the steam thereinand means effected by variation of pressure in the boiler whereby thespeed of the engine is controlled, wings or vanes on said fiy-wheeladapted to throw fuel into the furnace and an elevator adapted to supplyfuel to the fuel-throwing fiy-wheel arranged with controlling devicesoperated by the pressure of the steam whereby the supply of fuel fed tothe fuel-throwing device is regulated.

3. A mechanical stoker, attached to the furnace of a steam-boiler,comprising a motorengine having a disk or fly-wheel, suitably connectedto said boiler whereby it is driven by the pressure of the steamtherein, Wings or vanes on said fly-wheel adapted to throw fuel into thefurnance and an elevator adapted to supply fuel to the fuel-throwingflywheel arranged with controlling devices operated by the pressure ofthe steam whereby the supply of fuel fed to the fuel-throwing device isregulated.

l. A mechanical stoker attached to the furnace of a steam-boilercomprising a motorengine having a disk or fly-wheel, suitably connectedto said boiler whereby it is driven by the pressure of the steamtherein, wings or vanes on said fly-wheel adapted to throw fuel into thefurnace and a fuel-supply elevator having hinged buckets whereby theamount of fuel carried thereby to the fuel-throwing device is regulated.

5. A mechanical stoker comprising a rotating fuel-throwing device and afuel-elevator adapted to supply said fuel-throwing device and meanseffected by the variation of pressure in the boiler whereby the fuelraised by the elevator is directed to or from the fuelthrowing device.

6. A mechanical stoker attached to the furnace of a steam-boilercomprising a rotating fuel-throwing device and a fuelelevator adapted tosupply it, the elevator being arranged in a trough which is providedwith a gate through which the fuel passes to the thrower, a bin orfuel-supply reservoir into which the elevator and trough dip, a chuteadjacent to the gate therein connecting the upper portion of said troughwith the fuelthrowing device whereby a movement of the gate opens orcloses communication between said trough and chute, a steam-cylindersuitably connected to the boiler having a. pressure-actuated pistontherein adapted to be moved by fluctuation of the pressure in theboiler, said piston being connected to the gate whereby fuel raised bythe elevator is direcred to the f uel-throwing device or back to thesupply-bin in accordance with the requirements as indicated by thevariation of pressure in the boiler.

'7. A mechanical stoker attached to the f urnace of a steam-boiler,comprising a motorengine having a disk or flyheel provided with throwingvanes or Wings adapted to project fuel into the furnace and an elevatoradapted to supply fuel to the fuel-throwing fly-Wheel, said elevatorbeing provided with hinged buckets whereby the amount of fuel carriedthereby is regulated, a supply bin or

